A major objective of almond breeding programs is the development of new varieties capable of acting as a pollenizer variety. In particular, there is a need for the development of new varieties capable of acting as a pollenizer variety for the California almond variety ‘Nonpareil’ (non-patented in the United States). Because of its high market quality, ‘Nonpareil’ has become the leading California almond variety, presently occupying approximately 40% of total almond acreage.
‘Nonpareil’, like most commercial almond varieties, is self-sterile and requires pollen from cross-compatible varieties for successful seed set. California almond variety ‘Winters’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,286) was released in 2002 as an early-Nonpareil bloom pollenizer to complement well-established late-bloom pollenizers. The California almond cultivar ‘Carmel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,641) is currently the second most widely planted cultivar, currently accounting for approximately 10% of total almond production. However, the increasing incidence of the genetic disorder Noninfectious Bud Failure in the ‘Carmel’ variety has resulted in a dramatic decrease in new plantings of this cultivar and prompted the search for new pollenizer varieties having good kernel quality, productivity, and good overlap with the later ‘Nonpareil’ bloom. The new almond variety ‘Kester’ as described herein is a product of this breeding effort.